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Monday, July 18, 2016

The Killer in Me by Margot Harrison

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About Margot Harrison

I was raised in the wilds of New York by lovely, nonviolent parents who somehow never managed to prevent me from staying up late to read scary books. I now work at an alt-weekly newspaper in Vermont, where my favorite part of the job is, of course, reviewing scary books and movies. The Killer in Me is my first novel.

Nina sees someone in her sleep and she calls him the Thief. He makes her dreams horrible, because he stalks his pray in a calculated manner and kills without any guilt if he has the chance. He then hides the bodies in an abandoned mine. It's deep in the desert, so nobody will ever stumble upon them. Nina doesn't know if her dreams are real, but when the Thief's most recent victims have actually disappeared she's determined to find out.

Nina shares her secret with her friend Warren. Together they go on a road trip to track him down. They both have something to do in New Mexico, so they are going in the right direction and they have the perfect cover. When Nina meets the man she's seen in her dreams for many years she's surprised. He's kind and caring and doesn't seem to be the murderous type at all. Was it al a figment of her imagination or is there a different explanation?

The Killer in Me is a clever, gripping story. I loved the dream aspect, it's creepy and the perfect idea for a dark psychological thriller. There are two narrators, Nina and Warren. They have distinct voices and I loved them both. Reading the same story from two different angles made it extra interesting. Nina and Warren aren't angels, they have their flaws, but they are kindhearted and they care about others. They're intriguing main characters and I enjoyed reading their stories very much.

It's obvious from the start that something will go incredibly wrong and I loved the way Margot Harrison keeps her tension level high throughout the whole story. It makes the Thief extra scary. The actions Nina dreams about are gruesome and I could understand why she wanted to know what was going on, if it was fiction or reality. Both options would have been bad, which is a great approach that made the story stand out.

Margot Harrison's writing is easy to read and it wasn't difficult to switch between the narrators. I found them equally fascinating. I was intrigued by the dream aspect and couldn't wait to find more about it. The vivid descriptions of this different world make it come to life really well. Margot Harrison explains everything in detail, which completely satisfied my curiosity. There are plenty of unexpected twists and turns and the novel has some fantastic surprising moments. The ending is good, it's both sinister and creative. The energy level of this story is often low, which makes it extra realistic. I could almost feel Nina's lack of sleep. The attention for detail is amazing. The Killer in Me is a strong, thought-provoking thriller and I think it's a terrific debut.